{besps_c}0|1.jpg|“Little Red Riding Hood” by The Brothers Grimm, illustrated by Nancy Wiley.|{/besps_c}{besps_c}0|2.jpg|Wiley posed her handmade dolls in front of painted backdrops to illustrate her edition of “Little Red Riding Hood” by The Brothers Grimm. Photos courtesy of Nancy Wiley|{/besps_c}{besps_c}0|3.jpg|Wiley hand-painted the cast resin dolls she used to illustrate “Little Red Riding Hood.” “Red Riding Hood” is an 11-inch doll with bendable arms and hand-painted costume. “Wolf” is a 13-inch doll with faux fur, bendable arms and head, and hand-painted costume. Both dolls are available in limited editions of 200 priced at $350.|{/besps_c}{besps_c}0|4.jpg|Nancy Wiley signs copies of her “Little Red Riding Hood” book at the launch party. Photo by Michele Kisley|{/besps_c}

Artist and dollmaker Nancy Wiley admits to having very focused goals, even from a very young age. “I was very single minded from the time I was little,” she said. “Drawing and making things was all I did.”

But as she pursued an education in illustration (she graduated from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design), she always saw herself becoming a children’s book illustrator. “I really love fairy tales and children’s literature,” said Wiley, 48. She especially admired the work of illustrators Arthur Rackham and Maurice Sendak.

“My artistic journey has certainly followed a circuitous route,” Wiley added, who lives in Canandaiga, N.Y., with her husband and two children. “I was sidetracked — it was a good sidetracking — from my initial interest in children’s illustration when I apprenticed after school with my brother, William Wiley [the late doll artist]. He was really passionate about making dolls. Bill encouraged me to try ‘his’ medium, and I was captivated. A whole world opened up to me. I hadn’t realized how artistic you could be.”

Painterly Creations

Wiley’s love of illustration isn’t lost on her dolls — in fact, her two most recent projects have seamlessly married her interest in both fairy tales and dollmaking. In 2009 she merged those interests when she created hand-painted, limited-edition dolls based on the characters in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” then photographed them to illustrate her own hardcover edition of Carroll’s book.

“I just really wanted to try the illustration,” she recalled. “Since I had been doing the dolls for 20 years, I thought I’d combine the two.” Wiley said the 88-page “Alice” book — featuring handmade dolls of Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, the Duchess, the Cheshire Cat and the White Rabbit — took about a year to complete (you can watch a video of Wiley creating her book illustrations at www.wonderlandbook.com/illustrations.html and in this issue’s digital edition).

“When I photographed my work to serve as illustrations for [the Alice book], I felt I had come full circle,” Wiley said. After her success with that book and doll collection, Wiley’s work took a Grimm turn, as she created dolls and an accompanying book based on the Brothers Grimm tale “Little Red Riding Hood.” “I wanted to do a simpler one for the second story,” she said.

Her research began last summer, when she visited the Adirondacks and took pictures of forest scenes — including shots of her 6-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, roaming the woods in a red hooded sweatshirt. “Red Riding Hood” features the heroine as an 11-inch hand-painted cast resin doll. The daunting “Wolf,” with his menacing eyes, is made in the same medium and measures 13 inches. In Wiley’s book, the dolls are photographed against backdrops to set the scenes. “I make the characters first, then I paint a backdrop on canvas. This particular story was supposed to look like a stage play,” Wiley said. Wiley published both children’s books herself, with computer design assistance from Florida doll artist Chris Chomick.

Next up for Wiley, a longtime member of the National Institute of American Doll Artists (NIADA), is her interpretation of Charles Perrault’s tale “Cinderella” — probably for 2013. “I want it to be very over-the-top,” she said, adding that she’s particularly interested in designing a fabulous coach for Cinderella. Down the road, Wiley said, she’d love to do more book-related projects, maybe even an original tale. “I’m not ready yet,” she concluded.

Among Nancy Wiley’s buzzworthy clientele are novelist Anne Rice and actors Ray Liotta, Andy Garcia, and Demi Moore. In fact, Moore was so taken with Wiley’s work that in 1996, she tapped Wiley to design the costume she wore on the cover of the now-defunct magazine “George.” You can see the image by searching Google images for “Demi Moore and George magazine.”

Wiley will also present a solo show at the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y., displaying her “Red Riding Hood” book layout as well as the dolls. The show will run from mid-October to January 2013. For more information, visit www.museumofplay.org.]]>raz@jonespublishing.com (Sharon Verbeten)Artist/Limited-Edition DollsWed, 12 Sep 2012 13:31:14 +0000Maggie Made in Mini Modehttp://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/384-maggie-made-in-mini-mode.html
http://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/384-maggie-made-in-mini-mode.html

Maggie Made’s latest creative project started out on a small scale … literally.

Maggie Iacono—always searching for new ways to delight her collectors—designed five tiny doll dresses, only 2 inches in size

Kari Byron is the typical girl-next-door; that is, if the girl-next-door can detonate a bomb, swim with a shark and good-naturedly pal around with a frat house of techno-savvy dudes. The Californian native is the cheerful and remarkably competent host of the Discovery Channel’s MythBusters series.
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administrator@infoswell.com (Stephanie Finnegan)Artist/Limited-Edition DollsSat, 01 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000Kazuyo Oshima in Paris http://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/180-kazuyo-oshima-in-paris-.html
http://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/180-kazuyo-oshima-in-paris-.htmlKazuyo Oshima was born on the Awajishima Island of Japan in 1946, just one year after the defeat of World War II. At the time the Japanese were very poor, far from where they are today. Her father, an atomic bomb victim, worked entire days in the fields as a farmer; while her mother, a kimono dealer without a shop, daily rode a bicycle piled up with merchandise selling her goods. Meanwhile, little Kazuyo was left at home during the day playing with dolls, such as “Ichimatsu-ningyo,” fashion dolls, or popular toy dolls like “Dakko-chan” (manufactured by Ta­kara in 1960). The dolls were gifts from her mother, who wished she could spend more time with her daughter.

Patricia Rose is a “girlie-girl” kind of woman. When she joined the Women’s Army Corp in the late 1960s, she showed up for basic training wearing a sexy dress, white gloves, high heels and a wide-brimmed hat, with matching white luggage in tow. She swears the 1980 movie Pvt. Benjamin, starring Goldie Hawn, must have been written about her.
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When South Carolina artist Michelle Fagan is asked, “What would you be doing if you weren’t creating unbelievable baby dolls?” she immediately answers, “I’d love to be a photographer.” Though that secret yearning is undoubtedly true, she could have just as easily answered, “A juggler. A world-famous, ovation-grabbing juggler.” Fagan, a 41-year-old supermom of two, is a master at balancing artistic pursuits, home chores, professional obligations and a hectic, energetic life. She has mastered the art of mixing the mundane with the marvelous.
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There’s been much talk recently of global responsibility and citizenship. The popular mantra, “think globally, act locally,” has permeated political, environmental and artistic movements from all corners of the world. Talented men and women in the doll art movement dig deeply into themselves and unleash works of staggering beauty and brilliant imagination. Whether the artist resides in the steamy environs of Brazil or the cold clime of New Hampshire, they share the common bond of fantasizing and making their dreams come true.
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One heartfelt request. That’s all it took for Heidi Plusczok to embark on a craft that would lead her to becoming a revered and award-winning doll artist. Almost 30 years ago, when her then 10-year-old daughter, Katja, asked for a porcelain doll, the die was cast, introducing Plusczok into the wonderful world of dollmaking—a career that has served her well.
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Fire and ice are a dynamic pairing—definitely opposites, the two elements are often linked in poetry, mythology and popular culture. In doll artist Lorella Falconi’s life, fire and ice, likewise, mesh together. Born in Italy, in a small town by the Adriatic Sea, the talented sculptor resides today in the colder clime of Toronto, Ontario. Passionate by nature and proud to declare that “dollmaking is the fuel that feeds my fire,” Falconi glided toward this vocation because of ice hockey. The coldest of sports led her to discover her most fiery ambition.
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Can’t afford a trip around the world? Fortunately, doll artists and companies bring international flavor and their dollmaking perspectives to collectors everywhere. Each widens the scope and breadth of dollmaking in her own special way.
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Lynne and Michael Roche’s creations should come with a warning label. “Caution: Once you own a Roche doll, you’re hooked for life.”

In a sea of dueling divas, babies and tots of every description, and quirky, stylized ball-jointed creations clamoring for collectors’ attention and affection, Roche dolls stand apart. Dainty and demure, they might seem like shy wallflowers at first glance. But don’t be fooled. Their enchantment is all the more potent for its sweet subtlety.
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The conventional lends the world its existence. The unusual gives the world its value.” So reads the Oscar Wilde quote on Zwergnase’s Web site. Indeed it’s the quirky nature, combined with superb quality, of designer/owner Nicole Marschollek-Menzner’s dolls that imbues them with the magical appeal collectors seek.
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Since 1980 doll artist Susan Krey has been beckoning collectors to join her in an imaginative journey. Skilled and insightful, the creative Krey sculpts dolls that are lovely and realistic. She has the rare ability to make art that is both lyrical and empirical: Her work celebrates beauty and poetry while simultaneously honoring the faces and traits of everyday down-to-earth people from across the globe. Her dolls are international ambassadors, glowingly and meticulously depicting citizens of the world.
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support4@infoswell.com (Stephanie Finnegan)Artist/Limited-Edition DollsFri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000Heart of a Childhttp://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/97-lorna-miller-sands-baby-dolls.html
http://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/97-lorna-miller-sands-baby-dolls.htmlLorna Miller-Sands is a highly motivated artist with a huge zest for life. She has an infectious personality that comes through clearly in her creations, each one as individual as the next and infused with personality and soul.
]]>support4@infoswell.com (Tracy Mckenna-Stevens)Artist/Limited-Edition DollsFri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000The Art of Ankie Daanenhttp://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/89-ankie-daanen-dutch-doll-artist.html
http://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/89-ankie-daanen-dutch-doll-artist.htmlOne-of-a-kind Artist Shares Her Never-Ending Story

Dutch artist Ankie Daanen’s porcelain dolls reach out, imploring the viewer to hear the story each one has to tell. When one enters her exhibit at a show, there is tale upon tale being conjured up on the display tables. In one corner, a joyful child manipulates strings and sets the world to dancing. There, a young woman wonders how she will juggle her way through all life has to offer. Yet another piece tempts you with a teacup filled with fun and fancy. Each doll arises from a world of its own through Daanen’s use of posture, facial expression, props and costuming.
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There’s an old, familiar saying: “A penny for your thoughts,” which implies a person is deep in meditation, conjuring up bright ideas, lost in a world of her own. Switch the spelling of “penny” to “Peni,” and you’ve got the perfect profile of Canadian artist Peni Dyer.
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Every dollmaker likely feels like her work is truly a labor of love. But for California artist Marissa May, the proof is in the final product—her charmingly real newborn baby dolls known as the Nod & Dream collection.
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DOLLS Magazine interviews Mark Dennis about his choice to represent the African-American experience of pre-Civil War Southern slave laborers. He shares his hopes that each person will see beyond skin and time to view the universal theme behind his dolls.

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support4@infoswell.com (Dolls staff)Artist/Limited-Edition DollsFri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000Fabric of Their Liveshttp://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/87-brook-burns-vista-scott.html
http://dollsmagazine.com/artistlimited-edition-dolls/87-brook-burns-vista-scott.htmlInviting Collectors to Grab Their Passports and Depart From Ho-hum Reality, the Creations of Brook Burns and Vista Scott are Heartfelt Flights of Fancy

The fascinating thing about Brook Burns is how her so-called mundane, steady- paycheck job en­hances her imaginative, soul-soaring, part-time vocation. By day, Burns is a mild-mannered residential lending agent, but at night, she allows her penchant for pretending, her bias toward make-be­lieve, to run free. Working with number crunching and mortgage re­quirements means Burns knows a thing or two about zoning and amortization, prime rates and escrow. When she heads home in the evening, she is the founder of a land steeped in the love of learning, which welcomes all dreamers and where the greatest currencies are individuality and talent. Equity takes on a whole new meaning in her parallel universe.
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